Genre:
Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy
Note: Sean M. Hogan is a friend from my writing group The Pendragons.
Summary
Ages
ago, Eric, a warrior and a man of faith, saves a boy on the eve of war--and
sets himself on a path of sin, power, and destruction.
In
our world, a social misfit named Sharon Ashcroft has never forgiven her father
for abandoning her. After a wretched first day in a new high school, she
follows a strange crow to an old house where a mysterious mirror lurks in the
basement. But this mirror is more than it appears--a portal to another realm.
In
the pink-skyed world of Tuat, pig-runs war with humans under the rule of a
lizard god, a boy with clown make-up and red eyes conspires with a cloaked man,
and endless winter consumes the land--except at the pyramid of life. Thrust
into the center of the discord, Sharon finds she's become a valuable pawn that
everyone is desperate to get their hands on. Who can she trust? How will she
find her way home?
To
survive, this lost girl must find the strength to know what she believes in.
Review
Sean
M. Hogan has created an epic fantasy with dark overtones that spans different
worlds, eras, and cultures. The world building on display is fantastic. Myths
and magic tease at the start of the story, but it is when Sharon finally enters
Tuat that the book picks up the pace. In addition to vivid imagery and
beautiful prose, the book is anchored by a thread of philosophy that runs deep
through the book, as characters discuss faith and doubt, reality and illusion,
and the nature of the soul.
My
biggest issue with dark fantasy is that it can easily become too bleak, but I
didn't have that problem here, mainly because Sean M. Hogan infuses his book with
characters I can root for. My stand out favorite was Michelle Lionmane (who
also stars in Sean M. Hogan's novella The
Marauder), who is easily one of the most heroic characters in the book. But
I also found myself sympathizing with the pig-runs, goblin pig hybrids, and
their lizard god, Khaba. Although they appeared to play role of the nameless
barbarian hoards, they actually have their own reasons for fighting in the war,
which I found refreshing and compelling.
The
weakest point for me was the Eric chapters. Although he and Sharon are
definitely connected, their stories never really align. Unlike Sharon, whose
chapters move in chronological order, Eric jumps back and forth in time, making
it difficult for me to follow his character arc. Many questions are raised, but
there are few definitive answers.
The
ending of The Crow Behind the Mirror
absolutely blew me away. In the last chapter, events from throughout the book
are re-interpreted, themes fall into place, and Sharon is forced to make a
decision about who she is and who she wants to be. It was amazing.
The Crow Behind the Mirror is a
must for anyone who loves dark fantasy and epic worlds.
